Aegean Design: Pylaia Boutique Hotel

Leave it to me to find a design spot even on a totally remote Aegean island in Greece. But yes, even on a Greek island named Astypalaia (read: Astipalea) that is hardly known among non Greeks, you can satisfy both: your longing for white and blue Greek island landscapes, the warm Aegean Sea and a fine design stay. I did all of that at the wonderful Pylaia Boutique Hotel on Astypalaia in Greece.

Booking the Pylaia Boutique Hotel was not the first intention of my trip. It was the island of Astypalaia that I wanted to discover and I promise to share later a full blog post about this beautiful Greek island. Since Astypalaia is not very touristic I was a bit worried to find a nice hotel on the island but a very quick online research suggested the Pylaia Boutique Hotel and after screening their website images I booked a 10 days stay in this white, cubic hotel perched on a hillside overlooking the Aegean Sea (and no, this was not a sponsored trip but just my private holiday).

It was in the very first moments upon my arrival that I was reassured to have made a good decision. We were welcomed by a very friendly hotel team in the beautiful hotel restaurant named Plori with a homemade iced tea with fresh fruits and rosemary flowers. A cold refreshing drink in my hand and the stark blue Aegean Sea in sight I knew this is going to be a very good stay. Afterwards I was personally guided to my room and all the hotel amenities were explained on our way by the hotel manager himself. Top notch service!

The Junior Suite was a wonderful home away from home. In a typical white cube the bed took the center stage and a reduced interior decor with juicy bits of apple green highlighted the simple yet beautiful architecture of the Greek islands. A bathtub behind the bed for a decadent stay was available too, as well as a spacious shower – not in a boring shower cabin but with the typical white washed walls. And a private balcony with amazing sea views fulfilled all my expectations.

The Pylaia Boutique Hotel offers all the amenities you want for a good and relaxing stay: two hotel pools (even though rather small), a great restaurant with excellent food and wine, a gym, a boutique and an extensive spa area with fabulous treatments (I tried the ‘hydro facial after sun treatment’), a Turkish hamam and jacuzzi – which you can all use privately when booking a treatment in the spa. The breakfast buffet was yummy and offered classics as well as Greek specialties (no need to mention the thick Greek yoghurt with local honey).

Apart from all the above mentioned facilities of the hotel there is one thing I will keep in mind in particular: the super friendly staff! From the lovely girl at the reception, over the always smiling restaurant staff, to the beauty expert and the hotel manager – everyone was beyond friendly and hospitable. So if you ever consider Astypalaia as travel destination, I can warmly recommend the beautiful Pylaia Boutique Hotel. Stay tuned for more pictures and information about the Greek island of Astypalaia on the blog! Happy new week!

Photography by Igor Josifovic